Last Updated: Monday, May 2, 2016

INDIA: Forest fires in Uttarakhand kill six

Recent forest fires in Uttarakhand, India's northern Himalayan state, have claimed lives of six people. Fires have burned more than 4,700 acres of forest.

The forest fires which broke out a month ago has now intensified at 427 locations in a week including in states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
According to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), around 70% forest fires have been now contained.

"The current Uttarakhand forest fires can be compared with the worst fire of 2012," BBC reported quoting Environment and Forests Minister Prakash Javadekar.

According to NDTV, the government is starting a satellite picture-based fire alarm system that will send out text messages to the authorities every time a fresh fire is detected.